Day Trips from Ruidoso

Ruidoso is just a short drive away from of some of New Mexico’s most popular attractions. Here in Lincoln County, experience the history of the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway: discover the Wild West at Fort Stanton and Lincoln State Historic Sites and in the ghost town of White Oaks.

This most widely visited state monument in New Mexico is part of a community frozen in time—the 1870's and 1880's. Through a gift from the Hubbard Family Trust, the historic site now includes 17 structures and outbuildings, 4 of which are open year round and 2 more seasonally as museums.

White Sands National Monument

Surf the great of wave-like dunes of gypsum sand at White Sands National Monument.

Billy the Kid Scenic Byway

The Wild West lore of gunfights, horses, outlaws, Buffalo Soldiers and Smokey the Bear comes to life along the Billy the Kid Byway

Lincoln County and the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway are rich in history. Native Americans, the U.S. Cavalry, miners, cowboys, trappers, hunters, ranchers, outlaws and pioneers have all left their mark. Great ranches, ghost towns, mining camps, and Mexican villages can still be seen unspoiled in this beautiful drive and diverse country. From the heights of 12,000’ Sierra Blanca to the rolling pastures of Fort Stanton and the streams of the quiet valleys, this area has something to offer everyone. Take some time to discover our version of paradise. Directions.

Bosque del Apache is Spanish for "woods of the Apache," and is rooted in the time when the Spanish observed Apaches routinely camped in the riverside forest. Since then the name has come to mean one of the most spectacular national wildlife refuges in North America. Here, tens of thousands of birds--including sandhill cranes, Arctic geese, and many kinds of ducks--gather each autumn and stay through the winter. Feeding snow geese erupt in explosions of wings when frightened by a stalking coyote, and at dusk, flight after flight of geese and cranes return to roost in the marshes. The annual Festival of the Cranes is a highly acclaimed event, with hundreds of attractions and thousands of visitors. Directions.

Lincoln Historic Site is unique in that it manages most of the historical buildings in the community of Lincoln. This most widely visited state monument in New Mexico is part of a community frozen in time—the 1870's and 1880's. Walk in the footsteps of Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and other famous and infamous characters of the Wild West. Trace the events of 1878 through the Courthouse and the Tunstall Store, with their preserved 19th-century atmosphere.

Take a turn in the comfortable 56°F climate and behold Carlsbad Caverns' stunning formations borne out of the earth's own vibrant imagination. The creation of the caves began some 250 million years ago, when the region was part of a vast inland sea. The park contains more than 100 known caves, including Lechuguilla Cave—the nation's deepest (1,567 feet) and third longest limestone cave. Don't miss The Big Room; it's the size of eight football fields combined. Directions.

One of our favorite spots for a picnic or a wedding - especially during the spring when the Iris' are in full bloom! The Hondo Iris Farm and Gallery offers an escape into the beautiful Hondo Valley. Relax on the Hummingbird porch, enjoy the artwork, bring along your lunch & enjoy the picnic tables set among the flowers. Directions.

Soak in the hot mineral waters of Truth or Consequences - yes, that is the City's real name - located southwest of Ruidoso and easily accessible on I-25. Natural hot springs await you at 10 commercial bath houses, from riverside to roof-top, or book a lodge with private hot springs in-room. Directions.

Visitors soak away their cares at one of the many hot springs in Truth or Consequences. (Albuquerque Journal)

Located just an hour south of Ruidoso in Alamogordo, the New Mexico Museum of Space History educates the people of New Mexico and our visitors from around the world in the history, science, and technology of space. Directions.

In July 1947, something happened northwest of Roswell, New Mexico, during a severe thunderstorm. Was it a flying saucer? Was it a weather balloon? What happened? ...Famous for what is now known as the Roswell Incident, the town of Roswell hosts an annual UFO festival and the International UFO Museum and Research Center where you can decide for yourself about the flying saucer that allegedly crashed here in 1947. Whatever you decide, you’re likely to be intrigued by the many exhibits and programs about the crash itself and the phenomenon of UFO research. Directions.

Spaceport America is the world’s first commercially-built and purposed spaceport. Spaceport America is home base for two space tourism companies – Virgin Galactic and Armadillo Aerospace. While this is the “glamour” aspect of the Spaceport, a bigger focus of the facility is on research and development and educational launches. Directions.

The number and concentration of petroglyphs here make it one of the largest and most interesting petroglyphs sites in the Southwest. More than 21,000 glyphs of birds, humans, animals, fish, insects and plants, as well as numerous geometric and abstract designs are scattered over 50 acres of New Mexico's northern Chihuahuan Desert. Directions.

Valley of Fires recreation area is located immediately adjacent to the Malpais Lava Flow, just west of Carrizozo. Approximately 5,000 years ago, Little Black Peak erupted and flowed 44 miles into the Tularosa Basin, filling the basin with molten rock. The resulting lava flow is four to six miles wide, 160 feet thick and covers 125 square miles. The lava flow is considered to be one of the youngest lava flows in the continental United States. Directions.

Home of the world famous No Scum Allowed Saloon, named by AMERICAN COWBOY MAGAZINE as one of the Best Cowboy Bars in the West, White Oaks is not your typical flat-roofed adobe New Mexico historical experience. It's more cowboy/frontier than adobe Disneyland. There were no Conquistadores bringing the word of God to the native population. It was a frontier wild west cattle community right up until gold was discovered... an almost pure vein going down into Baxter Mountain. Directions.

At the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert lies a mountain ringed valley called the Tularosa Basin. Rising from the heart of this basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Directions.

Cloudcroft, New Mexico, is a charming Old West town at 9,000 feet in elevation in the Sacramento Mountains a short drive from Ruidoso. The tiny town with one main drag and 674 residents is unknown even to many New Mexicans. Rebecca's Restaurant at the Lodge is a longtime local and visitor favorite. Directions.